UNRWA’s Wadi Seer Training Centre (WSTC) received the HRH Prince El-Hassan Bin Talal Award for Scientific Excellence this year for its Elevator Installation and Maintenance course. Granted annually, the Award recognizes the best institutions for vocational and technical education practices based on excellence, innovation, cooperation and service to the wider community.

First programme of its kind

This was the first stand-alone and specialized course of its kind provided in a technical and vocational training programme in the Middle East, rather than as part of the curriculum of a broader programme.

“We at UNRWA are always looking for ways to improve the lives of young refugees. This course was developed to make it easier for them to improve their skills as needed by the local and Arab regional market and thereby their employability. We are already working in developing other courses like this based on the emerging trades,” said WSTC Principal Dr. Khalid Abu-Alhayia.

The Elevators Installation and Maintenance course was established after a long process, with no financial obligation on the already-constrained UNRWA budget. Using an innovative model with full cooperation from the private sector, all training equipment, technical capacity-building for instructors, and on-the-job training for students was provided by donors.

Success!

All 13 graduates are fully employed in various elevator companies throughout Jordan.

Trainee Waleed Khalid Abu Odeh remarked: “I thank UNRWA for providing this crucial course which has given me the opportunity to further my career. Step-by-step, I am improving my professional capacity and hope to continue my education in the future.”

The course is already provided in the West Bank, and will now be replicated in UNRWA Vocational Training Centres in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.
UNRWA is now working to develop other emerging trades courses such as Security Alarms and Surveillance Cameras, Power Lines Technician and Mobile Phones Maintenance.